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As horses frolic in the open air and nuzzle each other in the fields, Denise Berry-Hanna draws upon master-trainer certification from the Certified Horsemanship Association to oversee a skilled team of instructors. Pupils of all ages learn about English–style riding with an emphasis on safety. Students ride year-round in an indoor arena or on an outdoor riding arena with sand and limestone footing. Trainers focus on English–style riding; the farm also has a large dressage arena, a cross-country field, and a stadium jumping area for advanced riders. A summer camp for kids aged 6–15 gives youngsters a warm-weather activity other than taking No Running signs to the Supreme Court, and horses board at the farm in warm, hay-filled stalls or on the rolling meadows.

Harry O's is a relaxed restaurant with an elegant decor and classic American dishes.
Life is all about choices, and they are not limited here with plenty of gluten-free and low-fat dishes.
You'll find a wonderful selection of drinks from Harry O's' full bar to top off your meal.
Carry-out is also available for those who prefer to enjoy Harry O's' cooking from the comfort of their own home.
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Harry O's is serving up five-star food at a reasonable price.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all served at Harry O's, so come by whenever it fits your schedule.

At Hunley's Restaraunt and Bar, you can enjoy a tasty craft cocktail or a flavorful craft beer.
Low-fat foods are not on the menu at Hunley's Restaraunt and Bar, though, so plan to indulge a bit.
Be sure to add a kick to your meal with a refreshing drink from the beer, wine or cocktail list.
Hunley's Restaraunt and Bar offers patio seating in the warmer months.
Shake off the stiff workday duds at Hunley's Restaraunt and Bar — attire is casual.
You can also grab your grub to go.
Drivers can park in the neighboring lot.
Cheap meals don't have to lack flavor as shown by the innovative dishes coming out of Hunley's Restaraunt and Bar's kitchen.

For Josh Sickinger, starting a pumpkin farm was a rite of passage?his family has been farming in the Lowell area for more than 160 years. Each October, he transforms his pumpkin patch into a family-friendly playground in celebration of autumn. At his annual Harvest Tyme Pumpkin Patch, hay wagons pulled by tractors take guests out to the fields so they can cut a pumpkin from the vine or choose their favorite gourd from a pre-harvested selection. In the new section of the patch, kids can board the Harvest Tyme Express train which drives around an oval track. But that's just one of many family-friendly attractions here. Besides the traditional hayrides and a 3-acre corn maze, guests can let loose in the bounce houses, on a 65-foot-long slide, and at Farmville Playland, a farm-themed playground. There are plenty of other oddities here, including corn cannons?which can launch ears of corn up to 60 feet into the air?and a gem-mining village. Should guests get hungry, the farm also offers freshly popped kettle corn, hot dogs, caramel apple cider, and homemade donuts.

Groupon Guide

On the eve of her show at the Empty Bottle, internet superstar Leslie Hall talks about the rap game, the perks of online fame, and how to rock a rude gem sweater.
For most people, singlehandedly elevating the gem sweater from bargain-bin anonymity to worldwide notoriety would be enough for one lifetime. For Leslie Hall, it was just the tip of the jewel-encrusted iceberg. After conquering the internet with gemsweater.com nearly a decade ago, the self-described “Midwest Lady Cyclone” turned her energies to the world of music. The result? Six albums and a touring stage show filled with gold lamé, gnarly dance moves, and enough clever raps to set a thesaurus on fire. Earlier this week, we caught up with Leslie as she and her band prepared for their Friday-night stop at the Empty Bottle (9:30 p.m.; doors open at 9 p.m. 21+, $10; buy tickets here).
GROUPON: I can’t stop listening to your latest album (2013’s Songs In The Key Of Gold). It’s got some serious bangers. What made you decide to do a remix album?
LESLIE HALL: All of these songs were written on GarageBand, with no music knowledge, and I always thought they lacked that oomph. I’m always trying to sound like the classics, like Britney and Rihanna, and they never had that. I’m like, “How do you do that?” I needed to meet somebody who could do it. This is how I always wanted them to sound, so it’s really exciting. I’m so proud of them.
G: How did the collaboration with Titus Jones come about?
LH: I put request for remixes out, and he did a mashup of one of my songs with Rihanna and Britney, and after trying to make out with him, I said “Would you please remix my album?” I love him. What’s he’s doing with my voice is just amazing. I don’t know how he does it. I don’t know what music program he uses. I don’t know what he eats when he’s working. I just know that he makes great stuff.
G: Even though they make you move your butt, your songs don’t skimp on the lyrics. Do you have any personal favorites?
LH: Yes! One’s in “Neon Blood.” Let me think. (a voice from the background shouts “Puffy ankles!”) Yes. “I’ve got puffy ankles / I need some masculine hands.” That’s one of my favorite lines. I don’t know where that’s coming from, other than like, I’m looking down at my ankles, and I’m like “You know what? People can relaaa-ate.” I’m just saying what I’m feeling and other people are feeling it. It’s just connecting the world, I guess. Like Coca-Cola.
G: Now, I’ll be going to my first Leslie Hall show on Friday night. What should my fellow first-timers and I expect?
LH: You’re going to see a lot of people dressed up, first of all. It’s like a Harry Potter premiere party when it comes to costumes and gala. A lot of people make their own outfits, a lot of people wear those tiny little tighty tops that you buy and then you get chubby and then you never wear again. Tonight’s the night. We’re going to try to entertain you the whole time. There’s just six of us. We’re sweating up there. Everything you’re looking at onstage has been handmade, from the costumes to the backdrops to the bedazzled microphone. We’re coming from all angles.
G: You often credit your mother for making your costumes. Is that really how you get them?
LH: Yes, that’s true. She makes a lot of the costumes. She used to sew in the ‘70s, so her outfits are very detail-oriented. She takes her time and does beadwork and stuff. If you see a costume that’s unraveling or shredding at the armpits, or just has brown stains, I probably made it while eating chili. I just want to make it quick. When she makes an outfit, it lasts, and it’s a little more glamorous. It’s almost like she’s performing too. She’s like my Vera Wang. She takes a lot of pride in the pageantry of it all.
G: gemsweater.com got huge just as the concept of "internet celebrity" was starting to take shape. What's the best thing that came out of that increased attention?
LH: What I’m able to do now is accomplished because of the internet fame. There’s an advantage to being recognized. People are like “Hey, I remember her. I wonder what she’s up to? Let’s get drunk and go see her.” As long as I entertain and have as much enthusiasm as the original time, they’ll re-fall in love.
I just want to maintain a quality product in the live show. My website skills are not getting any better, and I refuse to use a template. I miss and I love the old look of a homemade website.
G: That’s almost becoming an aesthetic of its own.
LH: Yes! You know, Reddit is sticking to it. Reddit is a basic website, and you appreciate the nostalgia and the simplicity. Ai-yi-yi!
G: Speaking of gem sweaters, I’ve got to ask: how’re they doing these days?
LH: I am ready for any kind of a museum opportunity, or restaurant that wants to decorate. I’m ready, but they are currently in a storage unit. I’m not giving up. If people want to bring them to the live shows, I’ll take them for the museum. I’ll get you a little plaque that says your name.
G: What’s your most powerful article of clothing at the moment?
LH: I’ll tell you what, I’m putting pony beads on everything. From head to toe. You know, those big plastic beads that they give to toddlers? Those suckers. I love it. They sell them in bulk, so you get a ton of them in different colors. I found a use for them, and I am ninja-chop dance-movin’ like you’ve never seen.
G: That must add a nice percussive element to the music.
LH: I’ll do that for the Chicago show! I’ll put the microphone on my beadwork and just jiggle. You will squeal with delight.
G: That’s a guarantee that I can make. Now, your song "#1 Cat In America" makes some pretty bold claims. I mean, there are a lot of good cats out there.
LH: OK, obviously, I do have a cat, a cat-child, and I was referencing it in my heart. However, I don’t use his name, so I was hoping that when you listen to that, maybe you would think of your own child-cat. That is supposed to be for everyone. That is my gift to the world.
G: The Everycat, fair enough. Do you have any other American cats that you’re particularly fond of?
LH: So, I’ve been hearing about Lil Bub. I still think Grumpy Cat’s on top. But let me tell you something. Maru is still King Kong to me. Is he in Asia somewhere?
G: Japan, I believe.
LH: Well, get that cat a green card, because that is entertainment.
Photo provided by Leslie Hall

Straddling the Mississippi River in the northwestern corner of Illinois, Galena is a small town with an illustrious past. President Ulysses S. Grant made Galena his home, as did eight other Civil War generals and once-prominent entertainers and politicians, who built beautiful Colonials up and down Main Street. In the late 19th century, Galena was one of the most vibrant cities in Illinois.
Vinegar Hill Lead Mine: Travel Deep Into Galena’s Past
The city owed its initial popularity to the rich lead veins buried beneath the riverbed. Lead mining in Galena dates back to the Sac and Fox Native American tribes, who used the raw ore for body painting. In the early 19th century, mines began to sprout up all over the area. Galena’s lead could easily be shipped by steamboat down the Mississippi, and by 1845, the county was producing 80% of the lead in the United States—nearly 27,000 tons of ore per year.
When demand for lead declined, so too did Galena. Inevitably, the mines were all boarded up and shut down, with one notable exception. The Vinegar Hill Lead Mine functions today as a shaft-mining museum. Visitors can tour the real mine, going as far as 220 feet inward and up to 60 feet deep. In the museum section, you’ll find antique tools of the trade and minerals extracted from the earth below.
The Ulysses S. Grant Home: A Mansion Fit for a War Hero
The story of Ulysses S. Grant in Galena can be divided into two chapters: before and after the Civil War. Already an accomplished soldier before the war, Grant worked as a clerk in his father’s store. It paid enough to rent the simple brick home that Grant and his wife, Julia, leased for approximately $100 per year. Then, in 1861, Grant left to join the war effort. He would return in 1865 a hero, welcomed home with a parade. Grant was also awarded an impressive new home, constructed in the Italianate style with columns, bracketed eaves, and balconies with balustrades.
Grant would, of course, go on to serve as President of the United States in 1872. After serving his term, the Grant family went off on a world tour, returning to Galena in late 1877. He would stay put for most of the next decade, until eventually retiring to a cottage in upstate New York for the remainder of his life. His home in Galena is now a historic landmark that’s open to the public. Tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday; large group reservations are recommended.
Shenandoah Riding Center: Clop through the Hilly, Creeky Countryside
Just 20 minutes outside of town, the Shenandoah Riding Center offers a horseback-riding experience that rivals the best in the Midwest. Their professionally trained horses—quarter horses, Appaloosas, Connemaras, and crossbreeds—will escort riders across 30 miles of trails, past rolling hills, sparkling streams, and flowering valleys. Beginner and intermediate routes cater to all skill levels. The center offers day passes, weekend passes, and even has options to camp nearby. Call ahead for more information.

It’s a spring Saturday morning in Chicago, and six young men are ambling down Montrose Harbor’s Dock D. Though it isn’t hot, the sun is intense, and the cloudless sky offers proof that Mother Nature has finally relented after six months of winter torment. The group—myself plus an intersection of coworkers and college buddies—is a few minutes behind schedule, keeping a good gait despite our payload of rations: six cases of beer, several bottles of rum, a cigar apiece, a cooler full of ice, and some pretzels. All appearances, from our provisions to our cutoff flannel shirts and flag bandannas, indicate two things: 1) we are going fishing, and 2) we do not go fishing often. Moreover, it's clear—this is not a group that typically hunts for its dinner.
“What’s the name of the boat again?” Raf shouts, slowing a bit from the weight of his cooler. Raf—a longtime blogger of Chicago alleyways and a bigtime fan of Game of Thrones—has been a good friend since we started working together more than two years ago.
“The Massive Confusion!” says Nate, who stresses the Massive, as there are, apparently, more than one Confusion docked at Montrose Harbor. Nate has been a friend since eighth grade, roommate since college, current coworker, and the organizer of this trip. Also joining us are Jordan, Derek, and Austin, each longtime pals.
After passing a dozen or so boats, we find the Massive Confusion, its white deck gleaming brilliantly behind a web of nets, lines, rods, hoses, and rope. We also find the boat’s commander, Captain Bob Poteshman, and his first mate, Eddie. Both men have a stocky build, complete with suspension-cable forearms, made powerful after decades of casting and reeling—an observation confirmed when I shake their hands.
“Hoo, you boys picked a good day for fishing,” Captain Bob says. “Stay up on the dock a minute while we finish some stuff around here.”
This is all the opportunity we need to rip open our cases and knock back our first beers. Soon after, our captain calls us aboard and into the cabin, where I stow my rations and apply sunscreen to the skin left exposed by the "fishing shirt" I’d picked up at Kmart that morning. We also fill out and sign 24-hour state fishing licenses, which Bob gladly sells for $12 apiece.
Officially sanctioned to hunt fish by the state of Illinois, we depart for the open waters of Lake Michigan. As soon as we’re outside the harbor, the Chicago skyline emerges behind us—a gauzy black crown on the horizon. It hovers above the churning waters behind the boat, and slowly fades as we motor north.
After about 30 minutes, Captain Bob kills the engine. This is a cue for Eddie, who begins feverishly tying hooks and sinkers, attaching skimmers, and placing rods into the 14 holders. With 7 starboard and 7 port, the rods splay outward from the gunwale at increasing angles so the skimmers cover as large a swath of water as possible. When Eddie secures the last rod, Captain Bob comes down from the bridge for a short demonstration.
“When you get a bite," he says, "be sure and hold the rod up high, like this." He anchors the rod on his belly and points it skyward at a 45-degree angle. “If you hold the rod down, you’ll give the fish slack and allow him to unhook himself. And when you hear me yell or see a rod bend, grab it!”
With this info in mind, we await the first bite. Typically, Captain Bob’s groups fish Lake Michigan’s king salmon, brown trout, steelhead, and yellow perch, among other species. Given the time of year, we’re hunting coho salmon.
As luck would have it, I'm closest when the first rod jerks, so I grab it and begin to reel. As luck would also have it, this fish quickly escapes. The heckles start immediately:
“Oh-for-one!”
“Aw c’mon, Greg!”
I shrug it off, smiling. I am determined, however, to catch the next one.
I don’t have to wait long. After a brief dry spell, the coho start to bite in a flurry. According to Confusion Charters’ website, the species, also known as silver salmon, makes up between 50–70 percent of the company’s annual catch. Ironically, coho is not indigenous to the Great Lakes—it’s been imported from the Pacific since 1966.
By the end of the day, six hours since we first set off, we’ve hauled aboard 31 coho salmon. It’s the maximum our fishing licenses allow. After pictures and cigars and cheers to our good fortune, Eddie takes on the final, all-important task: filleting our catch. With a sharp knife, he sets up shop at a small platform attached to the end of the boat, and sure-handedly cuts away each salmon’s head, tail, and bones. Without looking up, he tosses the scraps into the boat’s wake, and then seals the edible salmon meat in Ziploc bags, which quickly pile up at his side. The process is oddly mesmerizing.
Back at the dock, we say our goodbyes to Eddie and Captain Bob before collecting our supplies and making a beeline for the rooftop of Austin’s high-rise apartment building. It offers the perfect spot for cooking our spoils: just off Lake Shore Drive, with a community grill and a 180-degree view of Lake Michigan sprawling out toward the horizon.
We fashion some cookware from aluminum foil and toss the fillets over the low heat of the gas grill. With help from a little lemon juice, the salmon emerges from the flame emitting an intoxicating aroma, its pink flesh falling away from the skin with just the slightest provocation from my fork. Each bite—submerged in the depths of Lake Michigan not six hours earlier—practically dissolves on my tongue. We each nod our approval at one another and gaze wistfully out at the lake sprawling out below us. It is a silent, contented epilogue to the action of the day.